I seem to be making progress in that way that you don't notice. It's rather like raising children and not noticing how much they've grown or that they've matured under your nose.
I am not so very sure that I wanted to make progress. I may have a rather advanced Peter Pan syndrome. I don't want to be an adult. But I have to admit it comes in handy, especially when there are other people in the room who don't want to be adults!
I think perhaps maybe the way to get un-upset about the nerve-racking adultiness of everything is to have some fun. I think that's why I have a riding donkey and why I took up fiddle playing. The secret reason I took up the fiddle is so that once a week I can hear how great I'm doing! I practice a lot, partly because I really, really like positive attention!
So you bosses out there, a cheap way to get more enthusiastic work from subordinates is to be cheerfully enthusiastic about them! Cheaper then chocolate, even!
Messaging: You're terrific, you're doing a great job!
This is shaping behaviour. Reward steps in the right direction enthusiastically, and ignore steps in the wrong direction. My donkey trainer is a genius at this. When we are learning to ride correctly, and we do THE RIGHT THING, the trainer says "Good!"
And when we forget and do the wrong thing, the trainer simply tells us what to change in a normal friendly voice: "Heels down, toes out. Good!"
I really like her, lessons are fun and we are so, so successful.
Maybe I ought to think about this for choir, it sounds like a plan.
Next: An Obituary for a Very Tired Person (after a long struggle with naps, Dora finally got some rest...)
Hugs,
Auriel
